Brian Redman hunts down a Porsche 917K.
Brian Redman is a British racing driver who defines the phrase, “been there. done that.” Redman has competed at the highest levels of the sport, in series ranging from Formula 1 through CanAm and Le Mans endurance racing. He’s driven Porsches, McLarens, Coopers, Alfa Romeos, Lotuses, BRMs and Shadows, as well as every sports car you could probably name. He’s in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, and he’s got an annual vintage car race at Road America named in his honor.
Porsche’s 908 and 908 Spyder were built to compete in FIA Group 6 competition. Originally designed as a coupe for better aerodynamics, the 908 was later changed to a Spyder (open cockpit) configuration for lighter weight. Despite having noticeably less horsepower than the legendary Porsche 917s (908s made roughly 370 horsepower, versus the 917’s 620 hp), the 908’s lighter weight and smaller size gave them an advantage on tighter racetracks.
The Road & Track video below is worth watching for two reasons: first, there’s no soundtrack, so you can actually hear the 908’s 3.0-liter flat-eight wind out, and second, because you get to see the advantage a light car with less power has over a heavy car with more grunt. Turn up the sound, enlarge the video to full screen, then sit back and enjoy.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
